December 15, 2021

Progress on Climate Action Plan Strategies Despite Challenges of Ongoing Pandemic

TAKING ACTION ON CLIMATE: In Princeton’s Caldwell Park neighborhood, known as a certified Sustainable Princeton STAR neighborhood, residents installed a meadow this year to help address abundant stormwater, which is a priority of the Princeton Climate Action Plan.

By Anne Levin

Sustainable Princeton recently announced that 22 of the Princeton Climate Action Plan’s 84 strategies have either been completed or initiated during 2021. This progress is in spite of — and in some cases, because of — the pandemic.

With fewer people commuting and offices closed, there was a downturn in greenhouse gas emissions. “Princeton’s community greenhouse gas emissions trended down substantially in 2020 (22 percent reduction compared to the 2010 baseline),” reads a release from Sustainable Princeton. “The drop is likely due to transportation and building energy consumption reductions associated with the pandemic.”

In a phone conversation this week, Sustainable Princeton Executive Director Molly Jones and Program Director Christine Symington said the hope is that the statistics will signify a trend.

“We can’t pinpoint exactly how much of this is related to COVID, but we acknowledge that it is the majority,” said Jones. “What we’re hopeful for is that a lot of the behaviors during that period will solidify. I think we’ve reached this tipping point where so many of these behaviors are becoming much more commonplace. Electric vehicles, the way buildings are being built, and climate-conscious community development — it’s all really beginning to happen.”

Princeton’s Climate Action Plan was completed in 2019. The goal is to reduce emissions by 50 percent, based on 2010 emissions, by 2030; 65 percent by 2040; and 80 percent by 2050. more

Council Asks for More Information Before Voting on Special Improvement District

By Anne Levin

Following a report to Princeton Council from the town’s Economic Revitalization Steering Committee Monday evening, recommending formation of a Special Improvement District (SID) in Princeton, the governing body opted to wait for more information before making a decision to create an ordinance.

The 22-member steering committee has been meeting for more than a year with consultant Stuart Koperweis to study how to foster economic revitalization in the town. After considering whether to hire an economic development officer, create a nonprofit Economic Development Corporation (EDC), or a SID, the group concluded that the latter was the best option.

A SID is a defined area in the central business district of a downtown that is authorized by state law and created by a local ordinance to collect a special assessment on the commercial properties and/or businesses in that area. A nonprofit organization, separate from the municipality, collects that assessment, which goes toward improving the economic, physical, and social values of the district.

“It is in the best interest of the municipality and the public to create a Special Improvement District; that the creation of such will promote economic growth and it will implement, foster, and encourage commercial development and business expansion as well as improve the business climate,” reads the steering committee’s report. “Moreover, a SID will otherwise act in the best interest of the property owners in the municipality of Princeton.” more

HomeFront Welcomes Local Families To Its New Rental Housing in Hamilton

HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS: HomeFront case managers Elijah Hockett and Victoria Irizarry hang a wreath on the front door of one of HomeFront’s 16 new permanent rental homes for low-income families on Lynwood Avenue in Hamilton. (Photo courtesy of HomeFront)

By Donald Gilpin

Homelessness in Mercer County and throughout the nation is expected to rise sharply when the federal eviction moratorium for low-income families ends on January 1, 2022, but HomeFront is stepping up to help take care of local families in need.

HomeFront has recently selected 16 local families by lottery from 230 who applied to move into newly-built rental homes on Lynwood Avenue in Hamilton. HomeFront now manages 125 affordable, permanent, service-enriched units throughout the county, where local low- and middle-income families pay one-third of their incomes in rent.

The 16 new apartments were built by HomeFront’s sister agency Homes by TLC, in partnership with public and private grants.

In a December holiday appeal, HomeFront CEO Connie Mercer warned of difficult days ahead for Mercer County’s low-income residents, with the cost of living rising and the federal eviction moratorium ending on January 1. “We are bracing for a true crisis. Four thousand renter households in our community are facing eviction,” she wrote. “We have already seen a significant increase in the need for food, essentials, and other critical support. This comes on the heels of already almost two years of expanding our services to meet the unprecedented need caused by the pandemic.” more

December 8, 2021

Princeton COVID Case Numbers Level Off

VACCINATING THE SCHOOLS: Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser, left, and Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Director of Special Services Micki Crisafulli were among the organizers of a November 30 free vaccination clinic sponsored by the Princeton Health Department and PPS. The next PPS clinic will be held on Tuesday, December 21 from 4-8 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Health Department reported on Monday a total of 24 new COVID-19 cases in the previous seven days and 59 in the previous 14 days, with 82 percent of Princeton residents age 12 and over fully vaccinated.

Princeton Public Schools recorded a total of eight new cases, including five students and three staff members, for the week ending December 3. Princeton University has announced its campus risk status as “moderate to high” with 71 new cases reported between November 27 and December 3 for a 0.34 percent positivity rate.

Meanwhile the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) on Monday announced increases in new cases and hospitalizations and a rise in the transmission rate to 1.26, with any rate over 1 indicating an expansion of the pandemic.

“The local numbers are not dropping off, but not really increasing,” said Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser. Noting rising rates throughout the region, he pointed out that many of the new infections in Princeton and elsewhere are occurring in unvaccinated individuals as well as many breakthroughs, mainly among those vaccinated more than six months ago who have not gotten booster shots.

“The booster is definitely necessary,” he said, and added that, among those who have been vaccinated, reported cases are almost always mild.

Grosser pointed out that the numbers of new cases are about even across the spectrum of ages, but that the highest totals come from the 18- to 29-year-old population, which, at 68 percent, make up the group least fully vaccinated. Grosser applauded the 5- to 11-year-olds (and their parents), citing a 54 percent vaccination rate as of November 30. Grosser added that Princeton 12- to 17-year-olds have a 98 percent vaccination rate.  more

Permit Parking Task Force Revising Recommendations In Response to Feedback

By Anne Levin

Having encountered strong resistance from some corners of the community to its initial ideas for solving the town’s parking issues, the Princeton Permit Parking Task Force (PPTF) has been working to revise its recommendations. The task force intends to present the revamped proposals to the governing body “in the coming year,” according to a press release.

Electronic license plate readers, labeled an invasion of privacy by some residents, are not part of the new proposal. Houses with no driveways in the Tree Street and Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhoods would be eligible for one free permit for on-street parking. A second permit could be purchased for $240 a year by these residents, or those with driveways accommodating a single car.

Bank Street, where there has been three-hour free parking, would allow resident permit parking only. Bank Street residents without driveways would get one free permit per household.

“The concept of community outreach and participatory government is to hear and process the feedback from the community, while striving to strike a balance between all parties’ goals and desires,” said Councilperson Michelle Pirone Lambros, in the release. “We are working with the PPTF and with community leaders in all neighborhoods and throughout the business district, to listen and work toward solutions that consider all parties’ interests.”

Additional Councilmembers on the task force are Councilmember David Cohen and Council President Leticia Fraga. Residents of different neighborhoods, the police, and local merchants are among others serving on the committee. more

Plans for Princeton Cannabis Dispensaries Face Resistance, Move Ahead Cautiously

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Cannabis Task Force (CTF) is moving ahead in preparing to recommend an ordinance to Princeton Council to allow up to three retail cannabis dispensaries in town, despite concerns and objections expressed by a number of residents.

The 23-member task force is scheduled to meet on December 16, when it will review its preliminary recommendations, which were presented and faced significant public resistance at a special Princeton Council meeting on November 30.

The CTF will be considering recent community input and discussing whether to amend or revise its recommendations before submitting them for further study to the municipality’s legal team, the Princeton Police Department, and zoning and planning boards, before presenting an ordinance proposal to Princeton Council in January or February.

Among the issues likely to be considered at the December 16 meeting are the question of the number of dispensaries allowed in town, with the suggestion that starting with just one might be wise; and the question of the required distance permitted between schools and cannabis retail establishments.

CTF Chair Eve Niedergang, who is also a member of Princeton Council, was not surprised that the majority of speakers — about 17 out of 23 — from the community  at the November 30 Zoom meeting were opposed to allowing cannabis dispensaries in town. 

“I think that people who are opposed to something are more likely to show up because there is change that they perceive as negative,” she said. “But there were a number of people who spoke up in support, and generally the feeling I’ve gotten as I’ve gone around town and most of the people who have contacted me are in favor.”

In the November 2020 state referendum on legalization of recreational cannabis, about 67 percent of New Jersey residents voted in favor, 71 percent in Mercer County and 78 percent in Princeton. “Cannabis is legal in New Jersey,” Niedergang noted. “That’s not in question, not up for debate.” But concerns about underage use and the question of a dispensary in Princeton continue to be matters of controversy. more

Another Gallery in Town Keeps Museum in Focus

PHOTO-FOCUSED GALLERY: “Orlando,” an exhibit guest-curated by actor Tilda Swinton, pictured here, is the inaugural show at Art on Hulfish, a new exhibition space from the Princeton University Art Museum. (Photo by Sally Potter)

By Anne Levin

As construction continues on the new building for the Princeton University Art Museum designed by architect David Adjaye, representation in town is keeping the museum — anticipated to reopen in late 2024 — on people’s minds.

Art on Hulfish, a new gallery focused on contemporary photography, opened last weekend at 11 Hulfish Street. The new space joins Art@Bainbridge at 158 Nassau Street, and The Museum Store at 56 Nassau Street, both operated by the museum. The inaugural exhibit, “Orlando,” was guest-curated by actor Tilda Swinton, inspired by Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel, Orlando: A Biography; and Sally Potter’s 1992 film Orlando, in which Swinton starred. The museum held a screening of the film at the Princeton Garden Theatre last month.

“This happens to be the 50th anniversary of photography at the museum,” said James Steward, the museum’s director. “Our photography holdings are among the best in any museum in North America. So [the gallery] made sense for that reason.”

Steward and colleagues exhausted the possibilities of opening a gallery on campus before landing on the idea of a former storefront in town. Photography, which doesn’t require the kind of climate control used in displaying unique objects in a museum, made sense. Other media will also be included.  more

University Breaks Ground for Lake Campus, Development Underway in West Windsor

LAKE CAMPUS: Princeton University held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its Lake Campus development on Tuesday, December 7. Located in West Windsor off Washington Road between Lake Carnegie and Route 1, the complex in its initial phase will include graduate student housing (shown here in a design rendering), parking, athletic facilities, and sustainable infrastructure. (Rendering courtesy of Princeton University)

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton University officially broke ground yesterday, December 7, for the creation of its Lake Campus, the first major development on the University’s property in West Windsor.

Located along Washington Road between Lake Carnegie and Route 1, the initial phase of development will include 379 units of graduate student housing, a five-tier parking garage, athletic facilities, and sustainable infrastructure.

Also included will be the basic infrastructure of roadways, underground utilities, and a central utilities building, along with construction of housing and amenities for post-doc researchers and graduate students, a racket center with a fitness space, a softball stadium, flexible rugby and recreation fields, a new cross-country course, and parking garage.

“A vision for activating our lands south of Lake Carnegie is one of the most intriguing ideas to emerge from our new campus plan and the strategic framework underpinning it,” President Christopher L. Eisgruber said in 2018 as architects and planners were chosen and planning for the Lake Campus progressed. “The Lake Campus will enable Princeton to foster a vibrant community of graduate housing, enhance the quality of athletic facilities, strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem, and create opportunities for partnerships with the nonprofit, corporate, and government sectors.” more

Traffic and Sales Are Up For Local Holiday Season

By Anne Levin

Last year at this time, the local retail scene was worrisome. The pandemic had done its damage to downtown Princeton’s stores and restaurants, threatening what is traditionally the busiest and most lucrative shopping and dining season of the year.

Despite new concerns about the latest variant, the numbers are up this year. That, coupled with the impending conversion of 20 Nassau Street to the Graduate Hotel, has resulted in changes to the town’s retail landscape.

“It’s very encouraging,” said Princeton Councilmember Michelle Pirone Lambros, who is liaison to the Princeton Merchants Association and serves on the Economic Development Committee. “The vacancies are filling up. People are out, and the streets are full on weekends. Garages are full.“

Among the newest eateries in town are Ellinikon Agora and Coffee Delicatessen at 200 Nassau Street, Positive Vybz Island Grill at 182 Nassau Street, Dvaraka Indian at 36 Witherspoon Street, Plated Plant at 15 Spring Street, and The Pastry Room at 6 Spring Street. Lala Lobster is planned for Palmer Square at a date to be determined. Nassau Diner is in the works for at 82 Nassau Street. more

PU Orchestra Journeys to Alice’s Wonderland in Winter Concerts

By Nancy Plum

Princeton University Orchestra presented its winter concerts this past weekend in Richardson Auditorium on the campus of the University. Rather than look toward traditional holiday music heard at this time of year, the Orchestra continued to announce its arrival in the 2021-22 season by performing two challenging and majestic symphonic works, featuring a recent graduate who had a solid musical career while at the University. 

Led by Orchestra conductor Michael Pratt, the concerts Friday night and Sunday afternoon were about courage — in particular from guest soprano soloist Allison Spann, a member of the Princeton class of 2020. Nothing showed her fierceness as a vocal performer more than her choice of David Del Tredici’s Final Alice for the 2019 Princeton University Orchestra Concerto Competition, the winning of which earned her a spot in these concerts. The University Orchestra presented selections from this quirky yet vocally demanding work in this past weekend’s concerts, inviting the audience into what Pratt called the “wacky world of Lewis Carroll set to the equally wacky music of David Del Tredici.” Spann saw this piece, which musically sets the last two chapters of Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as a source of escape from the past year and a half, and through theatricality and command of the very difficult vocal lines, brought the audience at Richardson Auditorium along with her.

Spann came onstage in character from the outset — looking completely lost and eventually sitting cross-legged on the stage ready to tell the audience a story. Although equally narrated as sung, the selections from Del Tredici’s Final Alice performed took a great deal of voice throughout, asking the soprano soloist to sing in a very high register for extended periods of time and maneuver demanding intervals over a cacophony of orchestral accompaniment. Spann was continually stretched to the top of her vocal range, but was always in command of the difficult music and dynamic demands while simultaneously communicating well with the audience. A particularly expressive moment was an aria sung by Spann accompanied by harpist Leila Hudson.   more

December 1, 2021

“Slingshot” Spike in Princeton COVID Cases

By Donald Gilpin

COVID-19 cases in Princeton, reported on November 29 by the Princeton Health Department, approached the December 2020 highest weekly and biweekly totals of the pandemic.

The Princeton Health Department on Monday reported 35 new cases in the previous seven days and 56 cases in the previous 14 days. The highest seven-day total of the pandemic was 39 in the second week of December last year, with 66 as the highest 14-day total registered during the second and third weeks of that month.

In announcing this “significant increase in cases” the health department pointed out that although cases are occurring in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, “there is a substantial difference in the severity of symptoms in those who are unvaccinated.”

For the week ended November 26, Princeton University reported 39 new COVID-19 cases and on November 26 announced an increase in required testing frequency, a 20-person limit on social gatherings, and a tightening of the mask mandate to require students to wear masks in all academic contexts for the rest of the semester. On Saturday, November 27, the campus risk status was raised from “moderate” to “moderate to high.”

“The past two weeks in Princeton we have seen a very abrupt trend change from where it appeared the Delta surge was bottoming out and now we are seeing a slingshot trend back up again,” said Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser. “As a town we were averaging just about a case a day at our low point of the Delta surge (middle/end of October). Now we are seeing daily, weekly, and biweekly totals that compete with Princeton’s winter 2020 surge.” more

Westminster Students Send Petition to Rider With Multiple Concerns

By Anne Levin

A petition signed by 130 students and alumni of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, expressing concerns about inadequate facilities, decreasing enrollment, unfulfilled promises, and more, was delivered to Rider administration on Tuesday afternoon.

“We, the students of Westminster Choir College (WCC), undersigned, are concerned about our education, our institution, the impact inadequate facilities have on our education, the value that our degrees will hold upon graduation, and the quality of support that we receive from the administration,” reads the opening paragraph.

The 22-acre choral college campus, located on Walnut Lane since the 1930s, became part of Rider in 1992. Four years ago, Rider announced it would sell Westminster and its Princeton campus, saying the institution had been losing money. But the controversial plan was dropped in 2017 after attempts to sell fell through, and last year Rider absorbed Westminster into its Lawrenceville campus.

“The move was made with promises to build a premier fine arts building, with more practice rooms, teaching studios, performance facilities, dance studios, offices for music faculty, and accommodations for everyone taking courses in the Westminster College of the Arts (WCA) and Westminster Choir College,” the petition reads. “As we near the end of the fall 2021 semester, we have yet to see what was promised.”

The petition was spearheaded by Marion Jacob, pursuing a graduate degree in master choral conducting; and Debbie-Ann Francis, a graduate student in piano pedagogy. Jacob said she and other students had attempted to express their concerns in the past, with little or no response from Rider administration. more

Entrepreneurs and Innovators Gather For PU Conference, December 1 & 2

By Donald Gilpin

With an emphasis on transforming research into information for the benefit of society, Princeton University will be hosting its second annual innovation and entrepreneurship conference online on December 1 and 2.

Engineers, scientists, humanists, social scientists, and business leaders will be gathering via Zoom to engage with each other in sharing discoveries and strategies for fostering innovation to make a difference in confronting some of the greatest challenges facing the world in 2021.

“Our support for innovation aligns with Princeton’s intertwined missions of research, education, and service,” said Princeton University Vice Dean for Innovation and Chemical and Biological Engineering Professor Rodney Priestley. “The University’s informal motto is ‘In the nation’s service and the service of humanity.’ We want to ensure that discoveries made in our labs and working spaces can become solutions for humanity’s challenges, and one way to do that is through entrepreneurship, the creation of new ventures such as startup companies.”

He continued, “Through the Princeton Innovation initiative, we hope that our impact goes beyond Princeton as a university and extends to New Jersey, the broader Northeast region, the nation, and indeed the world.”

Highlights of the two-day virtual gathering, titled Engage 2021, which is free and open to everyone, will include a conversation with the inventor Marian Croak, Google vice president of engineering and a 1977 Princeton University graduate; presentations by an array of Princeton professors and others focusing on the growing innovation ecosystem in New Jersey and the tri-state area; and guidance on finding funding for research and entrepreneurship. more

Harrison Street Park Tree Donations Inspired by Novel “The Overstory”

A GIFT OF A GROVE: Ronnie Ragen, center, and Princeton Councilmember Michelle Pirone Lambros, far left, gathered recently with members of Ragen’s family and the Princeton Shade Tree Commission to plant trees in memory of Ragen’s parents.

By Anne Levin

Princeton’s Shade Tree Commission is hoping that a recent tree-planting project honoring the memory of two former residents will inspire others to consider making similar donations.

Ronnie Ragen and her brother and sister-in-law, Mark and Lisa Ragen, recently gifted a grove of trees in Harrison Street Park, where a dense forest stood before the ravages of storms and the notorious emerald ash borer. The donation is under the aegis of the Commission’s Commemorative Tree program.

The newly planted grove of Happidaze American sweetgums, American yellow woods, and Cherokee Princess Florida dogwoods is arranged in a semi-circle, “to create a restful and welcoming nook in the park,” according to a press release by Commission member Alexandra Radbil. A Norway spruce was also installed, to replace an aging white pine that had served as a screen.

“The new grove will provide multi-season interest: striking white flowers on the dogwood and the yellow wood in spring, a variety of colors in the fall, and fragrant leaves throughout the year on the sweetgum,” reads the release. “The flowers on all the trees are a source of food for pollinators, and the pods and seeds the trees produce are a food source for birds and mammals. Their placement and structure add visual interest and density to the park and serve as a buffer between the park and the road.” more

Thomas Edison U. Celebrates 50 Years Of Dynamic Leadership in Adult Education

By Donald Gilpin

Merodie A. Hancock

Thomas Edison State University (TESU), a leader in transforming the lives of its adult students as well as the field of adult education, will be kicking off its 50th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday, December 1, with the initiation of its Edison Speakers Series. TESU celebrates University Day on December 1 each year to commemorate the day the college was granted university status in 2015.

In an era when traditional colleges and universities are being challenged and are forced to question their identities and their role and purpose in society, TESU has been way ahead of the curve from its inception.

According to the resolution that established the school in 1972, it was created “to enable individuals to receive academic recognition for skills and knowledge acquired in a variety of ways and would permit New Jersey residents to complete part or all of their work toward a baccalaureate or associate degree without formal attendance at a campus.”

TESU is one of the state’s public institutions of higher learning funded by the state in the same way as Rutgers, The College of New Jersey, and others, but it is the only public college in the state that is designed specifically for working adults. The average age of its approximately 15,000 students is 34.

Since 1972 TESU has grown from offering correspondence courses and just one associate degree to leadership in online education and more than 100 areas of study with associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. TESU has awarded a total of more than 65,000 degrees. more

Mill Hill House Tour is “Holiday Walkabout”                                                                 

HOLIDAY STROLL: Historic homes are decorated for this year’s “Holiday Walkabout” from 12- 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 4. This year’s event is all outdoors, featuring exterior decorations, peeks through the window at inside displays, and sidewalk hospitality areas featuring music, refreshments, and conversation.

The annual Mill Hill Holiday House Tour returns with an all outdoor “Holiday Walkabout” from 12-5 p.m. on Saturday, December 4, in the historic downtown Trenton neighborhood.

This year’s house tour was reimagined to accommodate health safety concerns due to COVID-19, said Mill Hill Holiday House and Window Tour Co-Chair Terry West. “We didn’t want another year to pass without a holiday house tour, so we had to come up with a creative way to celebrate the holidays in our beautiful neighborhood.”

 more

November 24, 2021

Prospect Ave. Recommended as 21st Historic District

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) at their November 15 meeting voted unanimously to recommend the creation of the Prospect Avenue Historic District as Princeton’s 21st historic district. The recommendation will go to the Princeton Planning Board and Princeton Council for approval in the coming months.

The proposed district, which includes 17 current and former undergraduate eating clubs, two residences, a monumental wall and gateway, and an apartment building, would extend from Washington Road to Murray Place. It would not include the academic buildings on the corner of Washington Road.

“The historic district designation would bring a very important level of protection to Prospect Avenue,” said Clifford Zink, a historic preservation consultant and author of The Princeton Eating Clubs. Properties included in a local historic district require review by the Princeton HPC for any alterations or additions visible from the street.

“The value of this district designation is not to freeze Prospect Avenue at some particular period, but rather to appropriately manage changes in the future so that they respect the historic significance of the street,” Zink added. “You want to manage the changes appropriately so that any changes respect history.”

The HPC resolution recommending the Prospect Avenue Historic District emphasizes the “unique and character-defining streetscape comprised of stately structures in residential appearance,” the embodiment of “many aspects of significant American and local history,” primarily involving “the eating clubs of Princeton University and the people who fostered, belonged to, worked for, associated with and even opposed them over seventeen decades since the 1850s even to the present day.” more

“Alternative Facts” Cited in Response by Task Force To SensibleStreets.org

By Anne Levin

With the cancellation of last Saturday’s community meeting on permit parking, a work session on the subject, originally scheduled for Princeton Council’s Tuesday, November 22 meeting, was removed from the agenda.

Council President Leticia Fraga addressed the situation in remarks at the beginning of the meeting, citing “a campaign of misinformation” recently aired by the group SensibleStreets.org that challenges the goals of the Permit Parking Task Force, on which Fraga serves along with Council members Michelle Pirone Lambros and David Cohen.

The task force was “really blindsided just before the community meeting,” she said. “We felt we truly could not go on until we were able to respond to what’s being put out there, that is truly a lot of misinformation.”

Fraga said the task force is regrouping. “Expect to be hearing from us,” she said. “We have been, for almost three years, soliciting feedback and hearing from the community. Ultimately our goal has been to improve the quality of life for many of our residents whose parking needs are not being met. That’s our ultimate goal. It’s still our goal, and we will continue with those efforts. But we felt at first we needed to respond to basically the alternative facts that are being put out there, that are alarming many of our residents who will benefit from the proposed changes we are presenting to Council.”

The cancellation of the work session made for an unusually short meeting, during which some routine business was conducted. Council introduced six ordinances, one of which had to do with affordable housing, and another with the affordable housing overlay that reduces off-street parking requirements for developments in different areas of the town. The governing body also introduced ordinances having to do with the sanitary sewer system and the sewer storm system, plus the vacating of an unused municipal sanitary sewer easement at 100 and 101 Thanet Road. more

New Preschool Opens as PPS, YMCA, Community Housing Work Together

OFF TO A FAST START: Fifteen 3- and 4-year-olds are part of Princeton Public Schools’ (PPS) sixth free preschool classroom, which opened this fall at the Crimmins Learning Center at Princeton Community Village — a collaborative initiative of PPS, Princeton Community Housing, and the Princeton Family YMCA. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Family YMCA)

By Donald Gilpin

Fifteen children, ages 3 and 4, are attending a new free preschool classroom this fall at Princeton Community Village.

Princeton Family YMCA CEO Kate Bech commented on the partnership of Princeton Public Schools (PPS), Princeton Community Housing (PCH), and the YMCA that launched the preschool in September.  “It was a classic example of ‘It takes a village,’” she said. “Princeton can be a bit siloed, but this is a great example of what happens when we’re all working together to come up with solutions that work.”

She pointed out that 13 or 14 of the 15 preschool students are residents in affordable housing, from families with low income. “This program is essential to them, and it’s great to get them in this early, for their learning and for the long-term trajectory of their education.”

PPS’ sixth free preschool class, the new Crimmins Learning Center classroom at Princeton Community Village is using the same space where the YMCA has operated the Princeton Young Achievers after-school program since 2011.  The preschool runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the after-school program operates until 6 p.m. every day.  more

Volunteers from Nonprofits and Municipalities Join Forces to Plant 10,000 Trees in Sourlands

SAVING THE SOURLANDS: The destructive emerald ash borer is no match for the volunteers and staff from the Sourland Conservancy, who planted 10,000 trees over the past year to restore the forest and reduce the impact of ash decline caused by the insects.

By Anne Levin

In an unprecedented effort, a massive tree-planting project has helped save the Sourlands from the devastating effects of the invasive insect known as the emerald ash borer. This past year, a mix of volunteers and staff from nonprofits, land trusts, counties, and municipalities, as well as private residents, have managed to get 10,000 new trees into the ground at the 90-square-mile Sourland region.

“We’ve never done anything to this scale before,” said Carolyn Klaube, stewardship director of the small, nonprofit Sourland Conservancy. “But when we realized how many trees were dying because of the emerald ash borer, we knew we had to do something.”

The New Jersey Forest service alerted the Conservancy in March 2020 that, due to the insects, the region could lose more than 1 million trees within the next few years. That number represents approximately one of every five trees throughout the region, according to a press release.

It wasn’t just the emerald ash borer that caused havoc. In July, a tornado ripped through 230 acres of mature forest on Baldpate Mountain, already victim to the insects. Hurricanes Henri and Ida also left their mark, with flooding that “scoured streambeds and resulted in the loss of lives as well as serious damage to homes, farms, businesses, and natural areas throughout the region,” reads the release. “Trees help filter water, stabilize stream banks, and reduce stormwater runoff. The loss of 1 million trees is expected to exacerbate the effects of climate change, and could result in more serious flooding in the future.”

The Conservancy reached out and received help from the Mercer County Park Commission, Hopewell Valley Open Space, The Watershed Institute, D&R Greenway, and Montgomery Friends of Open Space, among other organizations. Students from the College of New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College, Princeton University, and Rutgers University pitched in. Seasonal interns were hired by the Conservancy for the first time, enlarging the staff by 30 percent. more

Princeton Needs More Crossing Guards, and a Member of Council Steps Up

ON THE JOB: Shown at his current post at Snowden Lane and Abernathy Drive, Councilperson David Cohen recently decided to take on a shift as a crossing guard. The town is looking to fill 10 more vacancies that are currently being covered by police officers.

By Anne Levin

During the “announcements/reports” portion of the November 8 Princeton Council meeting, Council member David Cohen reported to his colleagues and the public that he had signed on as a crossing guard for the Princeton Police Department. His post, currently at Snowden Lane and Abernathy Drive, means one less police officer having to staff the town’s crossings and intersections as children make their way to and from local schools.

Cohen urged others to follow his lead and consider taking on the morning and afternoon shifts, which pay $15 for 30 minutes and $22 for 45 minutes. “It’s really a feel-good activity,” he said. “The kids and parents are really appreciative.”

Keeping the town staffed with crossing guards has been an ongoing challenge for the police department. Those who are hired have to be able to escort children across designated crossing zones, stop traffic efficiently in all weather conditions, be able to communicate with children and parents, report license plate number of vehicles that don’t slow down or stop where they should, report suspicious activity, report unsafe traffic conditions in school crossing zones, and more. more

Solar Panels Provide Clean Energy Lesson On Riverside Fourth Graders’ Field Trip

ELECTRICITY FROM THE SUN: Solar panel installers from Exact Solar prepare to create a spark and light a candle from the sun’s energy, as Riverside School fourth graders and their teachers look on during a field trip where the students learned about solar panels, clean energy, and climate change. (Photo courtesy of Sustainable Princeton)

By Donald Gilpin

Riverside School fourth grade teacher Terry McGovern and local residents Ted and Jess Deutsch teamed up with solar panel installers from Exact Solar last Friday to provide McGovern’s 17 students with an encounter with a genuine global challenge and a learning experience they won’t soon forget.

“We were getting solar panels installed, and it was a great opportunity to educate the kids,” said Ted Deutsch, whose two children went to Riverside and who lives just across a field from the school. 

Deutsch contacted Riverside Principal Ebony Lattimer, who put him in touch with McGovern, who did not hesitate.  “Clean energy is of interest to children,” said McGovern. “They were eager to listen to something that is a real world issue. This was a hands-on experience. They learned about electricity and how solar panels work.”

The excitement of a field trip after 20 months of pandemic was also a significant attraction.  As one fourth grader noted, “Mr. McGovern, it’s been a long time since we’ve been on a field trip.”  more

Photography Exhibit in Historic Terhune Barn

 

EXHIBIT AT TERHUNE: Local photographer Eddie Dzik will discuss his work on Sunday, November 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Terhune Orchards’ historic barn on Cold Soil Road.

The work of local photographer Eddie Dzik will be featured in an exhibition opening Sunday in Terhune Orchards historic barn on Cold Soil Road. Dzik will be available to discuss his work from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, November 28.
Dzik was raised in Lawrenceville. As a way to show his love for the outdoors and concern for environmental preservation, he began photographing both local and national parks to document their ever-changing landscapes.
Currently, he has been assisting world-renowned National Geographic photographer Michael Yamashita, most recently working on the creation of NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Through his photography, Dzik strives to share his vision of nature in hopes to grow awareness of the beauty of our natural resources and remind others of the importance of protecting and preserving them. View Dzik’s portfolio at: eddiedzik.myportfolio.com.

November 17, 2021

Vaccinated Princeton Has Few COVID Cases

By Donald Gilpin

As the state of New Jersey has reported increases in new COVID-19 infections and transmission rates, Princeton case numbers have remained steady at an average between one and one-and-a-half cases per day, according to the Princeton Health Department.

Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff Grosser reported on Tuesday a “consistent stream of positive cases” without significant increases or decreases in numbers. The Health Department on Monday announced 12 new COVID-19 cases in Princeton in the previous seven days and 19 new cases in the previous 14 days.

“The Health Department has tracked recent cases linked back to Halloween social gatherings leading to subsequent household outbreaks,” Grosser said. “But due to Princeton’s high vaccination rate (82 percent of those 18 years and older, 100 percent of those 65 and older) the cases we’re seeing are predominantly previously vaccinated individuals with mild or no symptoms at all.”

On Tuesday the New Jersey Department of Health recorded a 31 percent increase from a week ago in the seven-day average for confirmed positive tests and an increase from 1.04 to 1.08 in the statewide rate of transmission, with any rate above one indicating that the virus is spreading.

During his COVID briefing on Monday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy suggested that the state will soon be expanding and simplifying booster eligibility rules, going beyond current federal guidelines to allow boosters for all residents 18 and older.  more

Stockton and Grosser Promoted in Restructure of Municipal Staff

By Anne Levin

Two key members of Princeton’s municipal staff have been promoted to newly created positions. Municipal Engineer Deanna Stockton is now deputy administrator for infrastructure and operations, and Health Officer Jeffrey Grosser’s new title is deputy administrator for health and community services, according to information released Tuesday.

Stockton will now oversee the Public Works and Engineering departments, as well as the municipal arborist and newly-hired open space manager. Grosser is now in charge of the recently combined Health and Human Services departments, as well as the Recreation Department. The promotions are the result of a year-long analysis of how the municipal staff is structured, begun in the Personnel Committee with previous Municipal Administrator Marc Dashield, and continued with Bernard Hvozdovic, who took over the post last spring.

“These promotions recognize Deanna Stockton and Jeff Grosser’s many years of outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the municipality,” Hvozdovic said in a press release. “They have earned the respect, trust, and confidence of their colleagues, the governing body, and the many residents who benefit daily from their commitment to Princeton. This restructuring will ensure that the municipality functions in a more efficient and cost-effective manner as well as being even more responsive to community needs and priorities.”

Hvozdovic is supervisor to Stockton and Grosser. He also directly oversees the Princeton Police Department, the Municipal Court, and the Clerk’s Office, as well as Emergency Services, Finance, Information Services, and Community Development, which includes Planning and Historic Preservation. more